COM 301: COMMUNICATION THEORY

FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS FALL, 2021

The final is on Tuesday, December 14th from 10:30am- 12:30pm CDT. On that day, three (3) of the
following questions will be selected and you will select two (2) to write for your final exam. Prepare your
answers, study with classmates and friends, review the notes, and re-read your book.
You will need to bring:
 Computer + power cords!
 (Optional) TWO 3” X 5” note cards (single-sided, no more than 100 words each). These must be written or
printed; not digital or on your computer. Please don’t attempt to write out the text of your answer ahead of time;
Instead use notes, keywords, and ideas to jog your memory.

Keep in mind:
a. The final exam period is 2 hours… You should prepare enough material for you to spend about an hour per
question and will be limited to one hour per question
b. Each question is worth 50 points (roughly worth 3 quizzes!).
c. Make sure that you have enough material to answer each question thoroughly and uniquely. I have crafted 6
different questions. You should answer each one differently, not merely recycle material. Taken together, your
answers should demonstrate breadth of knowledge, covering different theories and ideas.
d. Other than your notecards, no other material can be pre-written, pre-prepared, or constructed. You are writing
your response during the exam period- not before.

Common terms (so we have coherence):

Communication Traditions: There are 7 traditions (explained in chpt. 4; illustrated on the first page of each theory).
Context areas: There are 4 divisions or context areas (interpersonal; Group/Public; Mass Comm; Cultural). Refer to
Table of contents for which theories fit into each area if in doubt.
Paradigms: There are two major paradigms (explained in chpt. 2; illustrated on the first page per theory or in graphic on
pg. 22).

1. The early chapters of your text contrast empirical and interpretivistic/ humanistic theories. As we
discussed, the two perspectives have different standards or criteria for evaluating a theory’s merit. For
each of the standards (5 standards for each perspective), use and evaluate a different theory to illustrate
the standard. This means that a complete answer will cite 10 different theories to illustrate the essay.

Remember, only scientific theories should be evaluated using scientific standards and vice versa.
They need not all be “success stories”: Your example can either be a theory that meets/exceeds the
standards or one that falls short on that criteria.

Finally, identify your “best” theory (highest marks on the standards) and your “worst” theory. These
theories may be used in previous sections of your answer. They need not be your personal theory nor your
favorite (neither of those are evaluation standards) but should be your argument for which theory, though
flawed (because all theories are), is the best exemplar of a theory and conversely, the worst of the bunch.
You should apply the standards- but have some logic as to which standards “matter more” to you in your
assessment.

2. Active agency and social change have become hot topics over the last decade or more. Activists,
philosophers, and theologians have argued over how much *any individual* can do. Some communication
theories speak both to agency (and the implication that individual and collectivities’ choices construct their
realities) and to determinism (and the implication that there are things beyond our control or out of our
awareness that impact us).

Your answer should be a persuasive, albeit balanced argument as to which one is a more compelling
understanding of communication. Highlight at least three (3) theories on each side of the equation. A
complete answer also includes a range of traditions and context areas. You should also select a final (so a
total of 7 theories included) which is the most compelling argument and serves for you as your anchor
position (in social judgment terms): is it more about what we do by choice or is it about being propelled by
circumstance, situation, context (or some other deterministic factor)?
3. As you are (hopefully) aware, we read two chapters that have been removed previous editions of the text
(constructivism; adaptive structuration). I have my reasons for including them but now it’s your turn to
justify their needed inclusion. You need to include at least 5 other theories that you understand better or
differently because you have had exposure to your theory of choice (Constructivism OR Adapt.
Structuration). Be specific! The key here is overlap and integration. What does the included theory provide
that is necessary, vital, or complements an understand of other theories? Be careful not to essentialize—
think of different components of constructivism OR adaptive structuration that are needed to understand
other theories. You should NOT link multiple other theories to the exact same element of Constructivism or
AST.

Finally, give two possible candidates for elimination and why they should be removed. You can’t just throw
them under the bus though; you have to have a sound, adequate explanation why the theory is less
essential. Theories should represent multiple context areas and at least 3 different traditions.

4. Communicating is a skill. And, like any other skill, learning and improving communication skills is often a
process where one moves from
 Unconscious Incompetence (i.e. lacks understanding/awareness of difficulties or a motivation to alter
them) to
 Conscious Incompetence (i.e. aware of deficiencies or potential shortcomings; a desire to improve) to
 Conscious Competence (i.e. effortful, intentional commitment to practice and improve) to
 Unconscious Competence (i.e. good practices have become habitual or second nature).
Communicators can often be thought-less and unintentional; it can cause issues or problems.
Then, we become aware of things that need to change or ways to communicate more effectively though
still imperfectly. We may want to alter but don’t know how or can’t adapt. Over time and with mindfulness,
we become more intentional and skilled communicators. Finally, we can be so efficient as communicators
without mindful action because habits become engrained.

For each of the four stages, apply at least two (2) theories. In other words, what theories speak to what
unconscious incompetence might look like (i.e. where there is a lack of awareness or adaptation), what
theories might highlight the situation when we are conscious of our incompetence (i.e. understanding of
what needs to be addressed even if we don’t yet do it), what does conscious competence look like (i.e.
where effort and attention matter and can/do produce good outcomes), and what would it look like if we
achieved unconscious competence (i.e. where you don’t have to mindfully think about it to do it well).
Your answer should include a minimum of eight (8) theories and include a range of traditions and context
areas. Be sure you focus on communication skills (application/action/behavior), not just ideas or
concepts.

5. Comm theory, as a class, is one of the cornerstone pieces to a communication major or minor. It should
provide foundational content and help us sense-make about communication. The Communication faculty
have developed some department-wide objectives. Our learning objectives (LO) postulates that, as
students of communication, you should be able to:
 Define multiple theoretical perspectives for interpreting human symbol use (LO#1)
 Develop and deliver other-centered strategic messages (in face-to-face, public, or digital contexts)
(LO#2);
 Work collaboratively with others for problem-solving and creative project development (LO#3)
 Conduct research that participates in scholarly communication conversations (LO#4)
 Explore and articulate foundational principles guiding Christian communicative practice in local and
global interactions (LO#5).

If I have done my job effectively, comm theory also speak into these things. Take these five objectives;
which theory/ies best address or speak into that objective? What theory/ies help us maximize our talents
on each of those objectives? You should apply at least one unique theory per objective and articulate
what within that theory how it gives some substance or knowledge that helps you respond to that
learning objective. In other words, if applied, how and why does the theory help us- what does it tell us
 or teach us?

Finally, as a department, we have a common believe that developing shared meaning and the
reconciliation of people (or “to bring together”) are central to studying communication regardless of the
form or type of communication. What theory/ies do you believe should be at the center of any study of
communication, that which is most in line with the “study of communication” as reconciliation and the
creation and sharing of meaning?

6. Over the course of the semester, I’ve highlighted a half-dozen or so big ideas from a given theory that are
tattoo-worthy. They represent the beating center or core idea of a single theory. Your task is to create your
own comm theory phrase or sentence that is deemed “tattoo-worth.” We’ve studied each theory relatively
on its own, but in reality each theory has areas of overlap with concepts or insights for other theories (as
well unique points). Your tattoo should NOT be drawn from a single theory; instead, it should be something
uniquely phrased or crafted that captures a BIG IDEA drawn from Comm Theory.

In your answer, be sure you explain the phrase and its meaning. Semiotics would say your tattoo is the
sign and thus, it has a signifier (expression) and signified (meaning). Then, brings together at least 6
theories that contribute, expand, explain, or illustrate your tattoo. What does each add to your “big idea”?
What is the connection between these theories? You might reference similar ideas, borrowed concepts,
like-ideas, or expansions between the theories.

While you should explain each theory in enough depth to make your ideas clear, you may not need to
elaborate on all of a theory’s subpoints. You can choose to have a central theory (and those that connect
to/through it) or a linking model which each theory links to another theory. But either way, be sure there is
a unifying idea or structure.

“Do”s
 Include as many theories as you can reasonably connect AND make a strong case for including, with
a minimum of six (6) different theories.
 Have at least one (1) from each of the main context areas of communication
 Have at least four (4) of the traditions represented.
 Read the “threads” as discussed in the final chpt. of the text
“Don’t”s
 Repeat what’s in the final chapter or what we’ve done in class (don’t recycle any of my “big questions”)
 Stay in a silo and focus exclusively on a type of context of communication (i.e. interpersonal, media)
 “Essentialize” theories or boil them down to one major idea or point- remember the definition of a
theory is a set of hunches….

GOOD LUCK IN YOUR PREPARATIONS.

Please ask or email me questions as they arise.
I expect that you will also help one another.

The return of the (used-to-be) Annual Comm Theory chili-and-study

session at our house! Puff, Gunther, and I welcome you to our house,
Details TBA! Optional time to ask questions, share ideas, & think
theoretically! I’d highly encourage you to drop in for some/all of the time!